Field of the Invention
Aspects of the disclosure are related to the field of data storage systems, and in particular, to a storage canister for use in a mass storage system.
Description of the Related Art
Mass storage systems are used for storing enormous quantities of digital data. As computer systems and networks grow in numbers and capability, there is a need for more and more storage system capacity. Cloud computing and large-scale data processing have further increase the need for digital data storage systems that are capable of transferring and holding immense amounts of data.
Mass storage systems are typically formed from a number of mass storage devices. The mass storage devices comprise very high capacity storage devices and may be themselves formed of multiple sub-units, sometimes referred to as sleds. A sled is a modular unit that can be added to or removed from a mass storage system. A mass storage system includes a rack or other receiving system that can receive a number of sleds. By forming a mass storage system using a number of sleds, any desired storage capacity can be attained.
A canister is a modular unit that can be added to or removed from a sled. A number of canisters can be held in a sled. Each canister can hold and operate one or more Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). The HDDs are held and operated in close proximity within a canister, so that as many HDDs as possible can be received in the defined volume of the canister. Consequently, the storage capacity of the sled can be increased in increments by the installation of an additional canister or canisters.
Efficiency is a prime consideration in a mass storage system. A small inefficiency in the HDDs used in a mass storage system can result in a significant increase in electrical power consumption for the mass storage system as a whole.
Another consideration is vibration. Each HDD used in the mass storage system may create vibrations during operation. Vibrations generated by one HDD can negatively affect other HDDs in the system. Further, where the mass storage rack and sub-structures create a rigid link between components or sub-components, then vibrations can be transmitted between the components or sub-components.